Akshay Azad
Jammu, Feb 21: The creation of proposed Jammu and Kashmir State Planning Board, which is in offing on the pattern of Planning Commission of India, is lingering since last around one month, as the Planning and Development Department is yet to respond the queries, raised by General Administrative Department.
Sources informed Early Times that after getting financial concurrence the Planning department had forwarded the memo file, describing the structure of the Board, to General Administrative Department for Cabinet approval, but former Chief Secretary Madhav Lal had returned the file with some queries, which were yet to be replied by Planning and Development department.
"As per the memo file which was submitted by Planning and Development Department to GAD around one month back, it has been learnt that the Planning department had suggested that all the directors besides other members will be from Planning department, but GAD has objected over this recommendation," sources said.
It has been learnt that GAD has asked that why not the members should be from other departments including Finance also. "Moreover, it is also questioned by GAD that why not officers with Indian Administrative Services (IAS) and Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) cadre, well versed in Planning department, cannot become the members," they said.
They further said that the Planning department was yet to reply the queries raised by GAD, due to which the creation of Board was still hanging in balance. "A meeting of Planning Department in this regard is being expected within few days. After detailed discussions over the queries raised by GAD, the memo file with some amendments will be once again forwarding to GAD for getting Cabinet approval, which will formally facilitate the formal creation of Planning Board," they said.
Pertinently, after getting financial concurrence from the State Finance Department, the Planning Department had finalized a memo of 53 posts for the proposed Planning Board," sources said.
Other posts to be created for the Board are one Private Secretary, eight statistical officers, 8 statistical assistants, 8 junior statistical assistants, four junior stenographers and 12 orderlies.
The proposal moved by the Planning Department had sought creation of 63 posts but the Finance Department had reduced the number to 53, while giving its concurrence.
They further said that out of total 53 sanctioned posts, some of these would be filled by the internal arrangement while remaining through direct recruitment.
The proposed State Planning Board would work on the pattern of Planning Commission of India, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as chairman and 12 other members including Members of Legislative Council, Legislative Assembly, Member Parliament and retired bureaucrats, besides people well versed in economics and statistics. |
